The present invention relates to automatic spray dispensers for regularly releasing a burst of spray from an aerosol container and more particularly, to such a dispenser which is battery operated and adapted for periodic replacement of the aerosol contained.
Heretofore, aerosol spray dispensers have been provided for regularly dispensing bursts of spray. The spray may be selected to provide a pleasant smell, to deodorize or to dispense a germicidal medicinal material into the surrounding area. These dispensers disperse the materials in spray from within an enclosed area such as public rest rooms, restaurants, hospital sick rooms and in other busy areas. In a typical use, a burst of spray is released from the aerosol container every 10 to 15 minutes and so 100 to 200 spray bursts are delivered during a day. Since the capacity of a large size aerosol can is several thousand bursts, the can must be replaced with a full can every few weeks. Of course, more frequent replacement is required where the bursts of spray occur more frequently and/or relatively small aerosol cans are used.
Where the spray dispenser is located in a public place, it is important that it be located beyond the reach of the passerby so that it cannot be easily tampered with. However, the dispenser should be monitored frequently to see that it is working and of course, periodically the aerosol can has to be replaced with a full can. Furthermore, where the dispenser is battery operated, it is desirable to check the battery and replace it if it does not test satisfactory.
Heretofore, the battery operated spray dispensers for releasing regular bursts of spray from an aerosol container have been serviced by an attendent who would periodically retrieve the dispenser from its out-of-reach location, replace the aerosol can with a full can, test the batteries, actuate the spray mechanism to see that it works and then return the dispenser to its out-of-reach location. Clearly, this procedure is time consuming and unless the spray interval is precisely known, it often occurs that either the aerosol can will be empty sometime before it is replaced or it will be replaced while containing a substantial amount of the material. Also, where the interval between bursts of spray is on the order of fifteen minutes or so, the monitor can not simply observe operation of the dispenser to ascertain that it is working except by observing it for fifteen minutes and this, of course, wastes a lot of time.